Following the creation of the multiverse in Loki and Spider-Man: No Way Home dealing with the subsequent repercussions, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will continue the MCU's multiversal storytelling.
In addition to tackling the mind-bending topic of Variants, the Doctor Strange sequel will be scarier than any Marvel Studios productions that have come before. Joining the all-star cast headlined by Benedict Cumberbatch and Elizabeth Olsen is Tom Hiddleston, who will be back to play the God of Mischief once again. Loki will not be the only MCU veteran to return, as Hayley Atwell is also rumored to appear as Captain Carter.
Also returning for the film is the Sorceror Supreme's right-hand man, Wong, as portrayed by Benedict Wong. Prior to dealing with the fallout from Sylvie's choice in Loki's finale, Wong will be crossing paths with newcomer Shang-Chi in his solo film.
Now, Wong has talked about his experiences while filming the Doctor Strange sequel and the freedoms that have been allowed by its director.
BENEDICT WONG TEASES IMPROV IN DOCTOR STRANGE 2
In an interview with Collider, Benedict Wong discussed his experiences filming for the upcoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Wong had nothing but praise for director Sam Raimi, saying that he is "such fun to work with:"
"It's a cracking script. And now, having Sam Raimi involved has been a really wonderful experience. He's such a fantastic director and [a] lovely, lovely man. He's just such fun to work with."
Raimi is also happy for his actors to improvise on set, according to Wong, who was allowed to "just throw anything at the wall:"
"I like throwing alts, and he likes them, so we just have a bit of a laugh. I just throw anything at the wall, and sometimes it will fall down and sometimes it'll stick. It's amazing, the creative process. As long as you're not afraid to throw something at the wall, it might be right or it might be wrong, but we're all just trying to make something here."
Wong also revealed that the cast and crew will wrap filming for Multiverse of Madness in September:
"We're having a lot of fun. We're finishing that off in September, so we're nearly there."
IS IMPROV THE WAY FORWARD FOR THE MCU?
Given how meticulously planned the MCU is, it can often feel that there is not a lot of room for the cast and crew to veer off the set path.
In more recent years though, Marvel Studios has eased up significantly in what its creatives can get away with, which was most evidently seen in Taika Waititi's Thor: Ragnarok. The decision to improvise many of the character interactions greatly helped to redefine the God of Thunder's character and led to many of the franchise's funniest moments.
One of Avengers: Endgame's key moments was even improvised, that being when Doctor Strange lifted his finger to remind Tony Stark of the one chance they had to defeat Thanos.
Ultimately, giving actors and other members of the film crew freedom to experiment can often lead to fresh storytelling possibilities not previously thought of. Sam Raimi being open to improv can only be a good thing as it will enable the film's performers to better explore what their characters can be and potentially lead to exciting moments that the story can't exist without.
With Sam Raimi at the helm, the Doctor Strange sequel is set to be the most scary, and potentially most surprising, MCU flick yet.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness arrives in cinemas on March 25, 2022.
